Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands Føroyar (in Faroese) Færøerne (in Danish)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Vivre Libre ou Mourir ("Live free or die")
Anthem: Tú alfagra land mítt Thou, my most beauteous land
Location of the Faroe Islands in Northern Europe
Capital and largest city	Tórshavn 62°00′N 06°47′W / 62.000°N 6.783°W / 62.000; -6.783
Official languages	Faroese, [1]
Ethnic groups	91% Faroese 5.8% Danish 0.7% British 0.4% Icelandic 0.2% Norwegian 0.2% Poles
Demonym(s)	Faroese
Government	Parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
• King	Frederik X
• High Commissioner	Dan M. Knudsen
• Prime Minister	Aksel V. Johannesen
Autonomy  within the Kingdom of Denmark
• Unified with Norway[a]	1035
• Ceded to Denmark[b]	14 January 1814
• Home rule	1 April 1948
Area
• Total	1,399 km2 (540 sq mi) (180th)
• Water (%)	0.5
Population
• July 2017 estimate	50,730 [2] (211th)
• 2011 census	48,346
• Density	35/km2 (90.6/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2008 estimate
• Total	$1.642 billion
• Per capita	$33,700
GDP (nominal)	2008 estimate
• Total	$2.45 billion
• Per capita	$50,300
HDI (2006)	0.943[c] very high
Currency	Faroese króna[d] (DKK)
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (WEST)
Calling code	298
ISO 3166 code	FO
Internet TLD	.fo
a. ^ Danish monarchy reached the Faeroes in 1380 with the reign of Olav IV in Norway. b. ^ The Faeroes, Greenland and Iceland were formally Norwegian possessions until 1814 despite 400 years of Danish monarchy beforehand. c. ^ Information for Denmark including the Faroe Islands and Greenland. d. ^ The currency, printed with Faroese motifs, is issued at par with the Danish krone, incorporates the same security features and uses the same sizes and standards as Danish coins and banknotes. Faroese krónur (singular króna) use the Danish ISO 4217 code "DKK".

The Faroe Islands or Føroyar (that meaning "Sheep Islands") are a group of eighteen islands in the north Atlantic Ocean between Scotland, Norway, and Iceland.

They are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but have had local (autocratic) rule since 1948, and people in the Faroe Islands have had the right to do business with people from all countries since 1856. Most government matters are controlled by the Faroese government, except for military defense. The Faroes have similarities to Iceland, Shetland, the Orkney Islands, the Outer Hebrides and Greenland. The island group, or archipelago, left Norway in 1815. The Faroes have their own representatives in the Nordic Council.

1. ↑ Statistical Facts about the Faroe Islands, http://www.tinganes.fo/Default.aspx?ID=219 Archived 2012-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Prime Minister's Office. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
2. ↑ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fo.html Archived 2019-05-06 at the Wayback Machine CIA - The World Factbook. Retrieved 25 February 2018.